Hey /r/fitness! This is a weightlifting progress post: be aware that I'm still firmly in the "beginner" camp. If this doesn't interest you, stop reading here, please :-)

In all honesty, I only started going to the gym because I was trying to get in my gym buddy's pants - but I got hooked on lifting somewhere along the way. I made an introductory post here at the beginning of July. I am still working on my big original goals but I am a hell of a lot closer now!

My routine is pretty straightforward: I go to the gym 3 times a week. Each session I do deadlift or squat; bench or OHP; and dips or pull-ups (I alternate between each of these pairs). When I can do five sets of five reps at a given weight, I add five pounds and begin again. The exception is deadlift, in which I've been recently doing less volume (such as 1x5). I also do rows and occasionally do other assistance exercises, mostly tricep stuff.

My numbers:

Age 26, 5'8'', 137 lbs. My weight has stayed constant since I began lifting

Deadlift: started at 5x5 @ 75lb, now at 1x3 @ 140

Squat: 5x5 @ 15-lb barbells; now at 5x5 @ 85. Took me ages to get my form down right, and it's still my weakest lift

Bench: 5x5 from 45 to 75

OHP: 5x5@35 to 5x3 @ 55. I've been stuck at 55 for a while - but it helped to switch around my routine so that I'm not doing it right after I deadlift

Dips: 5x5 from 61 lbs of assistance to 16

Pull-ups: 5x5 from 70 lbs of assistance to 28

Challenges: My biggest one is sleep. I work from home so it's really tough for me to maintain a normal work/sleep schedule, but I'm getting better at it!

I had always thought I had a pretty healthy diet and a good relationship with food, so it surprised me to discover how much diet-related bullshit I had internalized. For example: for a long time, if 2 pm rolled around and I realized I hadn't eaten anything yet that day, my first reaction wouldn't be "Montereyo, you idiot"; it would be, "Gee, good for you!" I'm definitely getting better, though - I make myself eat breakfast every morning, even though I'm not usually hungry until later. I also load up on protein. I love cottage cheese, unlike most of you here :-)

I assure you that I own more attractive underpants than these, but they sure are comfortable.

I'm still a beginner; I still have a long way to go. But at least I'm on my way! /r/fitness has been enormously helpful to me and I've picked up all sorts of really helpful information. Thanks, you all - and feedback is appreciated!

Edit, since so many people have asked: it's not a scar, it's a birthmark.

Edit 2: No, I don't do any cardio. And I'm not actually any tanner in the second pictures, it's just a combination of different camera and different time of day, I think.

Problem with r/loseit is that 50% of the male commenters seem to feel like they need to step in and say "well I think you were perfectly fine BEFORE", and then one or two will come out and say that they prefer the "before", and everyone seems to lose sight of the whole "the OP likes this, let's take her lead" thing.

I've recently started lifting, am also a girl, and find that it's a constant battle against myself and all the "defeatist" thoughts I get along the way. I'm not in bad shape, but want to be stronger and healthier (and look better) in general. This thread has helped me get into a more positive mindset about lifting. It's also giving me hope that if I stick with it, I'll see the changes.

I started doing crossfit workouts with some of my martial arts friends about a year ago, but it's only gotten consistent in the past couple of months (due to a recent move). I have a similar body type to OP's before picture, but hopefully with a little more time (and more focus on my diet), I'll be able to achieve her results, too!

Weightlifting is actually really fun, in my opinion, and I'm someone who dislikes running and was never very athletic as a kid. Get a friend and go for it. You feel great afterwards and maybe you and I will both look like the OP soon :)

Why did I just say that? Any who, these 2 gems are from the faq (which should be the first place you go when you have a question. I've been there 4 times in the last 2 days alone, second place being the search bar)

Resident guru troublesome threw up these two amazing posts that I have yet to finish combing through.

I really think /r/loseit would benefit greatly from seeing this post. Our society drums up cardio for weight loss so much that a stunning example of weight lifting for weight loss would be a welcome addition to that sub!

Twas a joke, I love /loseit and have posted a little in there in my time, as I used to weigh 50lb more than I do now. But it is definitely a "weight" loss focus subreddit and a lot of people in there will not have seen a transformation like the OPs.
I am also in the same boat as her, having lost 2" in my waist in the past ~6 months, but my weight has remained static. When people ask how much weight I've lost I have to say none. It sucks that weight is people's only marker for fat loss. I'm glad you've busted out the tape measure, it's way more accurate.

Point taken. I can't run 'cause I have foot issues (well, I can, it's just super painful and I don't like it at all). I've enjoyed playing racquetball with my fiance; I'd like to start doing that regularly.

Not to toot my own horn, but you should frequent /r/swimming for more swimming related stuff. I as well as TheGreatCthulhu are mods and we have an excellent community of swimmers who have kept it going post-conception.

I concur, but what I have been being told at work (i'm a cardiovascular nurse) is that as long as you get your heart rate up to the target for your age at least 30 min 3 times a week you will get great cardiac benefit). When you are just starting doing cardio it doesn't take much to get up to your target heart rate, and if you were doing circuit training with no long rest breaks you could keep your heart rate up. Also lots of people think if you aren't going for at least 40 mins at something that you are wasting your time, which isn't true.

Alternatively you could say things like "nearly sure-fire method of avoiding osteoporosis", "prevent injuries" and "impress your lady friends with your ability to pick up heavy shit and not break a sweat".

I've found success convincing my fiancee to lift by starting with body weight exercises, specifically abdominal ones like partial dragon flags (I forget what they're called, but where you raise your legs to perpendicular in slow, controlled movements while on your back) and leg/v/knee raises. She's intimidated by weighted exercises, but now that we've worked on slowly building up her core strength (and wow, have her abs become impressive), she's giving weighted exercises a try. Two weeks ago, she went and did her ab workout without me there, which was a big step for a self-conscious new female lifter.

To convince your wife to lift, you need to show her good evidence, like this thread and other studies that show how weight-lifting is good for health and WILL NOT make her bulky. Also, take the time to work out a routine with her and show her the ropes at the gym, because the free-weights section is super intimidating for beginners, especially girls!

I'm mostly motivated to increase my lifts and improve my health. I'm pretty happy with the way my body looks (actually, I was satisfied with the way it looked before I started lifting - those before pics are not flattering) and it's been awesome watching my tiny muscles get slightly less tiny, but I would keep lifting even if it didn't change my appearance.

As a girl, it's very awesome to see the effects of lifting from a female lifter! I see a lot of posts re: lifting from dudes, but this is more relevant for me. So, thanks!

I had a question - did you know anything about lifting before starting? How did you learn and fix your form, etc? (You mentioned a gym buddy - was/is he your "trainer" as well?) I've been interested in it, but have also been quite intimidated by the idea. :/

Unrelated: A Softer World prints! Wish I could give an extra upvote for those. :)

I actually have two gym buddies who have been godsends. They know what they're doing and they have taught me a lot, especially about form. I also lurk like crazy on /r/fitness, /r/xxfitness and /r/weightroom. The go-to advice here for someone who is just starting out is to invest in the book Starting Strength, read it cover to cover, and follow the program.

The thing I like most about this is how your weight hasn't changed. It definitively shows that people can get way sexier by changing their body composition and not worrying about losing weight. So many of my female friends think that the only thing that matters is shedding pounds, even if they look like shit from not eating right. Do you mind if I show them this post? Hopefully it will persuade them to eat more healthily and start lifting. Congratulations on the transformation Montereyo. Keep up the good work!

Thank you SOOOO much for posting. I'm a girl and I rarely see any other women lifting. Also EVERYONE keeps telling me that cardio is the only way to go when you want to slim down. They look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I'm focusing on weight lifting and nutrition. You're an inspiration and I'm definitely bookmarking this. Keep up the amazing work!

I have encouraged my gf to begin adding resistance training (currently dips and chinups) to her exercising and I am hoping to have more of an influence on her training in the future. The problem (for me training her) is that I have no idea what reasonable gains/lifts are for women. So, this helps.

I was really intimidated by the weight room - I still am. It has really helped me to work out with partners, because it gives you someone to talk to between sets and they can help you out if they are more experienced. Either way, just walk in there like you own the place! The other gym-goers will either respect you or not even notice you.

After seeing your pics, I texted my guy friend asking if I could go with him and if he could teach me to lift properly. I'm a long distance runner (half marathons multiple times a week) and used to be intensely into tennis when I was younger. I've always been super into aerobic exercise and have never really looked anything but soft! Do you do any core work?

You're my inspiration right now. I go to the gym and have done some free weight lifting, but I really want to step it up. Hopefully I can find someone at the gym to show me, but as a girl I've felt pretty embarrassed going to the "guy" section of the gym. Want to change that this year :)

It can be really intimidating, but you just have to remember that most people who are lifting are concentrating on themselves and their own form. As long as you can get some mirror space, you're good to go.

Last year, we had a trainer for a bit who focused on lifting, and the results were incredible! Of course, I can't afford the guy anymore (or any trainer for that matter) and I'm definitely afraid to lift by myself (injury concerns and just straight up intimidation). I haaaaate cardio, so I absolutely loved lifting. I lost about 15 pounds with lifting and tiny bits of cardio in that year. Aaah, good times.

I guess my point is to give another shout-out for lifting women! Now if only I could re-join the club with confidence! :/

My diet is really varied so it's hard to say. I know I should probably start tracking it so I have a better idea of what exactly I'm eating. I can say that I have 2-3 eggs and toast every morning for breakfast; I try to get protein through extra fish/milk/cottage cheese in addition to what I would regularly be eating; and I eat almost no sugar (don't like it).

Wow you are looking fantastic! You are a great inspiration. I often see girls struggle with the idea that resistance training will 'bulk them up', you are a fantastic example showing that it's quite the opposite. You look very trim and tone. Keep up the awesome work!

Thank you for posting this!! I am so inspired by your results! Your overall body composition change is incredible! And to think that you are the same weight in both pics-- crazy! I'm female, about the same age, height, and weight as you (okay, slightly heavier) so I really found this post relevant! Exclamation points!!!

I'll be saving this thread, so when any of my female friends say weightlifting is bad for women, I'll just show em your progress pics instead of explaining the 'mechanics' as to why it's good for everyone.

I am so excited you are going to try this out! I have never been an athlete at all and I always thought of myself as pretty non-active, so you have an advantage on me even just starting out.

My advice for you at the beginning: get a partner. It can be really helpful to keep you accountable in going to the gym. Plan your week around your workout, not your workout around your week. There are LOTS of excuses for not going to the gym (too much homework, didn't eat breakfast, didn't sleep well last night, a new episode of House is on) but none of them are good enough. A bad workout is a million times more helpful than no workout.

Can't bench the bar? Cool. No worries. You'll be able to later. Just do what you can for now. I could barely bench the bar when I started, and yesterday I benched 90. I can't wait to do more!

It takes me 1-1.5 hours to complete a workout - but I am super poky. I could probably do it in less time.

For the first two weeks or so, you will be incredibly sore. After you do squats, going down stairs and using the toilet will be hell. Take hot baths and ibuprofen, stretch, and keep with your routine as usual. Your soreness will decrease to almost nothing as you keep working out regularly.

Diet: your carnivore tendencies are great. Most women don't get nearly enough protein. Try to go really heavy on the veggies, protein, and good fats; go light on fruit, sugars, simple carbs. Eat breakfast every day, eat eggs, drink milk, and eat a lot. Lifting has been a great excuse for me to consume as much as I can possibly stuff in my face.

As a fellow Wisconsinite and beer-a-vore... try to cut down :-( My sympathies are with you.

I'm gonna be that guy and say it... You have neglected the hip muscles, some of them anyway.... Hip abductors, flexion muscles and the gluteus minimus need some catching up to do. But yeah this progress is still awesome overall.

Wow. Amazing. You should be a poster girl, posted on the wall of every women's locker room where the words "I don't want to get muscley" and "just use the small weights" are uttered. Congratulations, you look great. And the underpants are very flattering on you.

My diet is really varied so it's hard to say. I know I should probably start tracking it so I have a better idea of what exactly I'm eating. I can say that I have 2-3 eggs and toast every morning for breakfast; I try to get protein through extra fish/milk/cottage cheese in addition to what I would regularly be eating; and I eat almost no sugar (don't like it).

BUT DON'T YOU KNOW SQUATS AND DEADLIFTS ARE GOING TO MAKE YOUR THIGHS BIG!?!?! Hahaha.

That's some great progress over such a short time frame. 40 pounds up on your 5x5 pull-ups in six months? Imagine you doing 5x5 body weight pullups. Most of the guys I see in the gym can't even do 5x5 legit body weight pullups.

Great work. Keep it up. I'm definitely going to save this thread to show some of my female friends.

Wow thanks, this is really inspiring for me. I am very similar to you in age and size, so it's great to see what weightlifting can do! I'm especially impressed that your weight has stayed the same and yet your shape has changed so much.
Thanks, I think this was what I needed to get my ass back in the gym.

Awesome job! As a woman I really love weight lifting, but it's very hard to keep myself from slipping up and missing days - having a buddy to go with to the gym is a great way to combat that! :) I definitely want to go find my weights again now :)

wow, you look great! job well done. i'm wondering how long was it until your midsection started getting noticeably flatter? did you do anything to focus on that area, too, or did it just tone up as you weightlifted? thanks for posting your progress. it's inspiring. keep it up!

Congrats and keep it up!! I'm in the same boat, I've been doing a similar workout routine and it has made me stronger and more toned! I recently squatted 140 lbs x 5 x 3 so that was pretty amazing! :D also if you want another workout instead of bench press, you can try the push press, it will also help you when you over head press! Try lat pull downs, dumbbell rows, or renegade rows to help strengthen your upper back for those over head presses!

My question - how did you get started? I know you said you were trying to get into some pants. But what gave you the confidence to start going? Or were you not self-conscious? How did you learn the exercises, alone or were you taught by someone there?

Your before picture looks exactly like I do at the moment (I'm a bit shorter though), but I didn't think your current picture was a possibility. I think your story is the kick I've needed to stop procrastinating with lifting and to get to it properly. I hope to have the same tale to tell in six months!

Thanks for posting this. I've been lifting since last June and my weight has actually increased about 3-5lbs since then and I was getting really down about it but looking at your progress pictures really shows that we can make progress and still not get what we "want" from the scale.

Thank you for this post. So few women seem to post like this. As a woman who is trying to get back into shape and wants to focus only on lifting (no cardio due to several reasons) this is extremely inspiring and motivating.